The Past is in the Past
by KrazedKate
Summary: A little piece of how the original gang was with a few old friends. First chapter is in first person, rest is not, only the first chapter is written fully. Warning: Death


"Hey chica." The voice was soft as it entered my room, and I recognized the voice immediately. So soft compared to how I remembered it, but hey. I guess this shit changes you. The dark brunette Latina pushed passed the curtain and sat beside me with a sad smile.

"Letty? You've gone soft too? Damn, what's wrong with you guys‽"Her smile widened at my remark, but I myself didn't even recognize my voice. Too scratchy and strained to be mine, and it almost hurt to speak. Her hand grasped mine, eyes misty. Now this was new.

"Jen, you don't get it, do you?"I watched a tear pool in her eyes, then slowly spill over onto her face. "You're not gonna come back from this one."

I knew. She knew. We all knew. They couldn't afford to keep me hooked up to life support any longer than a few hours. Just long enough to say goodbye.

"Just- Where's the rest of my family?"

"Maria's in Vegas, but Hailey and Kit are out in the hall."

I shook my head, feeling my own eyes water. I didn't want my mom. My sisters, sure. But Mom wasn't family any more.

"I don't want her," I choked out, my voice breaking into a small squeak at the a. "I want Vince, a-and Dom, and Jesse! I want you, and M-Mia! You guys are my family! Not her!"

She knew who I meant and nodded, tears flowing freely now as she disappeared to the other side of the curtain, her head low. I've never seen her cry before...

I sat up in bed, trying to compose myself once more, breathing in deeply, only to find I couldn't anymore. A sharp pain shot through my side and I remembered once again just why I was here.

I was supposed to have been driving a test run for Jesse, but I hit somebody. They took off, but my side was ripped up as I hit the pavement. I guess this proves the need of seat belts. I'd shot forward, and that just kind of made me wonder if this was it. They couldn't repair me whatsoever because I have some kind of bleeding problem I didn't know about, along with the fact my freaking guts were spilling out.

Least, that's what the doctors told me. Turns out someone found me and brought me in. They found Kit and Hailey in my emergency contacts I guess, so my baby sisters were the first to see me all banged up. I hated it, seeing them cry when they finally got in the room. Seeing their eyes travel to the bandages semi-visible through the hospital gown when I leaned forward at all. Watching Kit kick and scream when they finally made them leave.

I forced a smile as heavy footsteps started in the room. Dom, the shaved bulk. I used to tease him about that, much to his dislike. He'll tolerate it with Kit since she's only fourteen, but the rest of us are no exception. His seemingly always black shirt clung to his muscles like always and he bent over the bed to hug me, so gentle for such a giant. His eyes weren't as tough as they always were, and he slowly found a spot on the couch beside my bed, hands folded under his chin with elbows rested on his knees.

Jesse and Kit followed shortly with Hailey holding a tight grip on the wrist of each. Her stringy brunette hair in her eyes with small patches wet. Her makeup (which she almost never wore) was runny and messy, though her eyes were dry and red by this point. Her lower lip quivered with fear as she struggled to keep from looking at me.

Kit was mumbling something shaky, something that looked like a no, with a mousey squeak at the end. Her small chest heaved like she was hyperventilating but I knew she always had that look to her when she was afraid. She raised a shaky hand to reach out for me before darting it back so fast she could catch a fly.

Jesse was the worst of the three, his beanie moved up on his head and face reddened. Three sets of blue eyes looked at me, each with their own shade and expression. He shook more than Kit and was sweating profusely. For once it didn't even have to the L.A. heat. He felt it was his fault for this mess and I knew it because he always did. The kid always blamed himself. Well, I can't really call him a kid anymore. He is eighteen now anyway.

"Jess, come over here for me?" The words felt odd on my lips, probably just with how strange my voice was now. I'd said this to him so many times that it wouldn't be this hard. Not in another context that is.

His eyes found mine finally and he shuffled slowly to me when Hailey let him go, seeming to keep his distance before I grabbed his hand in mine. His arms unsteadily traveled towards my back and pulled me close for a hug. His heart beat so fast against my chest as I in turn pulled him close to whisper in his ear.

"It's not your fault baby, I promise." Me calling him baby was nothing new, and I did it with almost everyone in our "family". Even Vince and Leon, though the former pretended to hate it in public. They thought they were so manly really, but they were still like kids to me. Mia always said I was like a mother to them, so maybe I was.

"Not too late to get my hug too, right?" I looked up, half shocked to see Vince there. It wasn't that I didn't expect him to show, but more of I hadn't heard him come in. Normally he's so noticeable. He's not really tall or heavy set, but big enough in muscle that he doesn't hide very well. Not from my eyes anyway.

"Come over here baby boy." I let go of Jessie, lingering slightly and trailing my hand down his arm to grasp at his hand as he sat on the edge of my bed. Vince shifted uncomfortably, a small tint of scarlet to his tanned cheeks.

"Is Leon still in the hall?" Hailey asked quietly, looking to Vince. Oh god, I hadn't even thought about how this would be on him yet. He was my baby. Not like Jesse and Vince, but my baby and mine alone. I loved him so much, and now I was dying on him, when I promised I'd never leave his side. We had made plans of kids, naming our first son Ellis and the daughter Logan, giving them a classic car for their first, just like I drive. Well, drove more of.

"Letty and Mia are trying to get him to come in. He's pretty messed up." Vince moved in to kiss my forehead, almost like he would to Mia or Dom to Letty. Although, I knew he didn't mean it like that. I was his little sister in his mind, no matter how I treated him.

"T-tell him I want to see him. Please?"I grabbed his arm as he moved to pull away, trying to blink back the soft tears that tried to force through. His eyes met mine, their dark brown color a near black. Vince gave a small nod towards me, heading back towards the door.

"I- I'm so sorry! Please-" Jessie licked his lips nervously beside me, biting and scraping skin from them. I shook my head and shifted to lightly put a finger to his lips.

"Hush, baby boy; and don't do that to your lips." He nodded quietly and picked at his dark green painted nails. My favorite color, really. Hell, I was there when he picked that color out.

"Hey, baby, look at me. Not your fault. This would've happened to me anyway, now was just when God decided to do it."I gave him a little smile, trying to cheer him up.

"That one's not your baby. This one is." Letty's soft voice greeted me, then she nudged Leon at the bed, Mia and Vince beside her. She gave me a teary eyed smile as she stood by the curtain separating me from the other patient.

Leon was a mess to say the least. His blonde-brown hair was pushed into his face compared to its usual slick backed look. His green eyes were dull and it almost looked like he was sick. The tattoo he normally showed off so proudly was covered in his shirt for once, and I knew something was wrong. He used to have me help him pick stuff that showed that thing off. I loved it, even the little scar in it that I put in when he tried that damned motorcycle. You are not supposed to feel pavement on your skin when you crash a vehicle!

"Jay?" he whispered almost breathlessly, his his expression making him seem shocked almost. I messed with the scratchy blankets, pulling them up to cover the pulled up hospital gown. If anyone else had noticed, they didn't say anything.

"Same me as ever. May have left some pieces on the road, but I'm still here" I gave a playful smile, only for him to sigh and shake his head as he sat on the other side of me.

"Jenna, this is why I told you to get out of this. I didn't want you hurt." His eyes were soft, and his voice weak. He pushed a hand through the hair placed over my neck and shoulders, fingertips tracing the scar of a bite mark. He's left his mark on me over a dozen times, really. But only once has he ever made me bleed in doing so. Only once has he left a scar like that.  
"My lion man doesn't need to worry about me." I grinned at the blush creeping up onto his face, watching him lean back. He was trying not to scold me for calling him that, I could tell. But I knew he wouldn't. Not when it was like this.  
`"Mia?" She perked up at my calling of her name. Letty had gone to sit in Dom's lap, with Kit leaning on the couch arm beside him. Hailey was standing in a corner uncomfortably with her dried eyes on me. I was sobbing for her, and I couldn't really stop myself now.  
"Should I get a nurse?" She leaned towards the other side of the curtain, almost as if she wanted to escape. I nodded a little, feeling Jesse and Leon tense beside me, Vince moving to stand closer to me.  
"Guys, it's okay. I wanted to ask her to get a picture. Kit, you still got my phone?" My baby sister nodded and pulled it from her pocket, giving me a gentle smile as she passed it to Dom, through to Jesse, and finally to me. The boys stayed tense, and Jesse moved to lay on his side in the small bed space of bed beside me. His blue eyes closed a little as he nestled into my side.  
Mia came rushing back in with a young male nurse, and I couldn't help but smile at her worried expression. These people were my family; I knew it in how they acted, not by my birth certificate.  
"Anything I can help you with, Miss Clare?" He eyed the people crowded around me, almost seeming curious.  
"Yeah. Help me get a picture of my family and I." Mia looked almost like she would laugh at that point, and Dom gave his usual grin that looked devious no matter how. I found smiles- no matter how tear filled they were- all around my half of the room. The nurse nodded to me and took the phone, bringing up the camera and motioning to bring us all in close.  
Dom decided to push the bed out from the wall a bit, much to my surprise. His gaze seemed almost protective of us as Mia and Letty moved in on his sides. Jesse sat up and hugged me, Leon burying his face in my neck while Vince held Hailey and Kit close to him like Dom would, standing close to Mia.  
"Take care of them for me, Mia," I whispered a moment before the camera flash went off. She nodded and moved her hand to my shoulder.  
"I will, you can count in it." Her smile softened as I looked up at her, and in a moment it all slipped away. The nurse handed the phone to Hailey, Leon bolting up beside me. I could swear I was watching from afar as he said my pulse was gone. My own blue eyes seemed glassy and almost like I was staring at nothing. Their voices were frantic, and I couldn't hear them clearly. I'm not the religious kind, but I could swear I saw God that day, and he took me from my family kicking and screaming. Even through my fit though, I heard two words choked out from Kit before I was gone.  
"Goodbye, Jen."


End file.
